Tapeguide raceway for rapier loom

ABSTRACT

An improved guide raceway for use on shuttleless looms of the type where weft insertion into the warp shed is accomplished by yarn carriers that are moved into and withdrawn from the shed by reciprocating flexible tapes, the raceway being formed of an elongated body and elements extending upwardly from the body at spaced intervals along the length thereof that provide tape supporting surfaces and guiding shoulders.

[451 Oct. 22, 1974 United States Patent [191 Champagne 3,299,911 1/l967 139/123 3,490,498 1/1970 Dewas.......... 139/188 3,556,163

[ TAPEGUIDE RACEWAY FOR RAPIER LOOM H1971 Pfurrwaller...................::::::

n o d u a J 3 VJ r n e H r e m m m E W a m r P a m k I. c m 0 r. S m m. o m W C 9 M e n we .m m m m a h mP e um. R Wm wtm Ml MR RR RP e m m t m .m v m h A M H 7 7 [57] ABSTRACT An improved guide raceway for use on shuttleless lo [22] Filed: Oct. 9, 1973 A l. N 404,151

pp 0 oms of the type where weft insertion into the warp shed is accomplished by yarn carriers that are moved into and withdrawn from the shed by reciprocating flexible tapes, the raceway being formed of an elongated body and elements extending upwardly from the body at spaced intervals along the length thereof that provide tape supporting surfaces and guiding shoul- S r e d 80 0 mm 1 Wmw 3 1 1 r .M M QP U. l WMRZ WW2 m 1W w "3 uh mm C Wu S n e n." c "u" n "H" e H mmm m mmr. R mm L l WM .w U..mF HUM. 6 555 5 UNITED STATES PATENTS 4 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures 3263,707 8/1966 Kubelka et al...... 139/122 I TAPEGUIDE RACEWAY FOR RAPIER LOOM BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Shuttleless looms of the type which utilize flexible tapes for inserting yarn carrying members into and from the warp shed for the purpose of inserting a length of weft yarn have been known for a number of years. A complete description of this type of loom can be found in US. Pat. No. 2,604,123 which issued July 22, 1952 to the Draper Corporation. In this type of loom, as indicated above, weft yarn is inserted into the warp shed by a pair of cooperating carriers mounted on the ends of flexible tapes that reciprocate into and withdraw from the warp shed. The tapes themselves are generally mounted on tape wheels that are mounted on each side of the loom lay. The tape wheels are driven in an oscillating manner by suitable drive means to cause the tapes to reciprocate into and from the shed. In operation, the inserter carrier grips the yarn, which comes from a stationary source, and takes it approximately one half the distance through the warp shed. At this point, the carrier on the opposite tape, which is often called an extending carrier, pulls the weft yarn the remainder of the distance through the shed. From this brief description it is apparent that for acceptable and reliable operation of the loom, the two carriers must meet with a high degree of accuracy to insure that transfer of the yarn takes place between one carrier and the other. While reliable shuttleless looms of this type have been built and are in operation, in most constructions the yarn carriers slide on the bottom sheet of warp ends and they are also subject to inertia forces due to their movement with the loom lay. Occasionally, transfer of a weft yarn is missed and infrequently erratic movement of the tapes will cause breaking of warp yarns that results in loom down time.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is a principal object of this invention to provide an improved guide raceway in which positive control of the inserting tapes is present at all times.

An additional object of this invention is to provide an improved guide raceway in which the inserters and tapes do not contact the warp yarns.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will be in part obvious and in part explained by referring to the accompanying specification and drawings in which:

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a fragmentary perspective view showing how the improved guide raceway of this invention is mounted on the loom lay.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken through the raceway and,

FIG. 3 is a top elevation of a piece of the improved raceway.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION For a complete description of the invention, reference is made to the drawings, and particularly to FIG. 1. Here numeral indicates the lay of the loom on which is mounted the reed 11, the reed performing the usual function of beating a newly inserted weft yarn into the cloth fell in the location indicated generally by numeral 12. Numerals l3 and 14 indicate the upper and lower warp sheets, respectively, which cooperate to form the warp shed 15. Obviously the terms upper and lower warp sheets apply only as shown in the drawings since the positions of the two sheets reverses with reversal of the harness frames (not shown).

It can be seen from the drawing that the carrier 16 is connected to a tape 17. It is this tape 17 which is fastened to a tape wheel or other drive means for oscillatory movement into and from the shed 15.

Turning now to a description of the tape guide raceway, it will be seen that there is provided an elongated body portion 20 for mounting on the loom lay in the manner shown in FIG. 1. The raceway can be secured to the lay by any suitable means such as bonding, rivoting or with any other desired type of fastener. Here the body portion is shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 as being provided with openings 21 for receiving fasteners to secure body 20 to lay 10. Since the particular type of fastener used is not important, they have been omitted from the drawing.

Extending upwardly from the elongated body portion is a first series of elements 22 that are located at spaced intervals along the length of the elongated body 20. In the configuration shown, each of the elements making up the first series includes means forming a pair of opposed shoulders that define the lateral limits of the raceway for receiving the tape. Specifically, these means comprise a pair of upstanding ears 23 that form a pair of opposed shoulders 24 that define the lateral limits of the raceway 25. Located between the opposed shoulders 24 are means defining an individual tape supporting surface adjacent each of the pair of shoulders. In this case, the extended portion 26 forms a tape supporting surface adjacent the left hand shoulder 24 while the extension 27 forms a tape supporting surface adjacent the right hand shoulder 24, as viewed in FIG. 3. It is important to note that the center portion between surfaces 26 and 27 has been lowered or removed. This is done because the lower of the two warp sheets must pass into the grooves 28 (see FIG. 3) when the shed is open for reception of the tapes and inserters. At this time, should any warp yarns accidentally fall cross an element 22, they can be received into the open area between extensions 26 and 27 and thus fall below the plane of operation of tape 17. If this recess were not provided then the yarn would be trapped between ears 23 and the carrier and/or tape would come into contact with crossed yarn and possibly cause it to break.

A second series of elements 35 are provided which also extend upwardly from elongated body 20 and these elements are located at spaced intervals along body 20 and alternate with elements of the first series of elements. In this case it can be seen that the element has only one raised ear 36 and that this ear forms a shoulder 37 that defines the lateral limit of the raceway 25 on one side only. The extension 38 running from shoulder 37 extends completely across the width of the guide raceway the entire distance between the opposed shoulders 24 of the first series of elements 23. The function of the supporting surface provided by extension 38 is to insure that the carrier 16 remains elevated above the lower warp sheet. Without these supporting surfaces, the carrier 16 would fall into the recesses located between supporting surfaces 26 and 27 of elements 22 and damage the warp yarns. This would not be a problem with a wider carrier or with the tape 17 because then the supporting surfaces 26 and 27 would provide adequate support. It is also important that the element 35 does not have an ear on the end opposite the ear 36 so that any warp yarns which are crossed can freely slide from the bearing surface into one of the grooves 28.

The guide raceway is here shown as being constructed as an integral unit and this method is preferred as a matter of manufacturing convenience. lt is apparent, however, that the upstanding series of elements could as well be provided as separate units which are secured to the base 20. Generally, it is preferred that the raceway be constructed of some suitable low friction material with good impact consistence. For example, a cast urethane is well suited in this particular application.

l claim:

1. An improved guide raceway for use on shuttleless looms of the type where weft insertion into the warp shed is accomplished by yarn carriers that are moved into and withdrawn from the shed by reciprocating flexible tapes: said raceway comprising;

a. an elongated body portion for mounting on the loom lay;

b. a first series of elements extending upwardly from said elongated body at spaced intervals along the length of said elongated body, said elements including,

1. means forming a pair of opposed shoulders that define the lateral limits of the raceway for receiving the tape, and

2. means defining an individual tape supporting surface adjacent each of said pair of shoulders, and

c. a second series of elements extending upwardly from said elongated body at spaced intervals alternating with the elements of said first series of elements, the elements of said second series including;

1. means forming a shoulder defining the lateral limit of the raceway for receiving the tape on one side only, and

2. means defining a tape supporting surface that extends from said shoulder a distance sufficient to provide support for the tape and for the yarn carriers.

2. An improved guide raceway as defined in claim 1 wherein said first and second series of elements are formed integrally with said elongated body.

3. An improved guide raceway as defined in claim 1 wherein said means defining a tape supporting surface of said second series of elements extends from said shoulder forming means a distance at least equal to the distance between said pair of shoulder forming means of said first series of elements.

4. An improved guide raceway as defined in claim 1 wherein the said shoulder forming means of said first series of elements are spaced apart a distance slightly greater than the width of the carrier tape. 

1. An improved guide raceway for use on shuttleless looms of the type where weft insertion into the warp shed is accomplished by yarn carriers that are moved into and withdrawn from the shed by reciprocating flexible tapes: said raceway comprising; a. an elongated body portion for mounting on the loom lay; b. a first series of elements extending upwardly from said elongated body at spaced intervals along the length of said elongated body, said elements including,
 1. means forming a pair of opposed shoulders that define the lateral limits of the raceway for receiving the tape, and
 2. means defining an individual tape supporting surface adjacent each of said pair of shoulders, and c. a second series of elements extending upwardly from said elongated body at spaced intervals alternating with the elements of said first series of elements, the elements of said second series including;
 1. means forming a shoulder defining the lateral limit of the raceway for receiving the tape on one side only, and
 2. means defining a tape supporting surface that extends from said shoulder a distance sufficient to provide support for the tape and for the yarn carriers.
 2. means defining an individual tape supporting surface adjacent each of said pair of shoulders, and c. a second series of elements extending upwardly from said elongated body at spaced intervals alternating with the elements of said first series of elements, the elements of said second series including;
 2. means defining a tape supporting surface that extends from said shoulder a distance sufficient to provide support for the tape and for the yarn carriers.
 2. An improved guide raceway as defined in claim 1 wherein said first and second series of elements are formed integrally with said elongated body.
 3. An improved guide raceway as defined in claim 1 wherein said means defining a tape supporting surface of said second series of elements extends from said shoulder forming means a distance at least equal to the distance between said pair of shoulder forming means of said first series of elements.
 4. An improved guide raceway as defined in claim 1 wherein the said shoulder forming means of said first series of elements are spaced apart a distance slightly greater than the width of the carrier tape. 